SLOW BURN : CHAPTER 1
Rachel could hear her heart pounding away in her ears as she followed Tex through the darkened halls of the Avocet building. Beside her she could hear the steady, reassuring sound of Kara Foster's firm, purposeful stride – her admiration for the young pregnant sailor had grown exponentially over the last few hours. Despite the threat to her own life and that of her unborn child, Kara still held it together, and Rachel could only admire the young woman's strength. Suddenly the group heard the sound of rapid gunfire up ahead, and they quickly took cover as they waited nervously to see if it was friend or foe. Rachel almost moaned in relief when she saw the face of Tom Chandler illuminated by the dim moonlight, as Tex called out to the Captain, signalling with his flashlight.
"Hey Commodore, it's us!" Tex called out softly, getting Tom's attention immediately. He noticed Rachel stood just behind Tex, but it was Kara Foster who grabbed his attention, as she should've been aboard the Nathan James. His heart sank at Tex's explanation for her presence, but relieved the wisecracking security expert had arrived to save the young woman and her unborn baby in time. Satisfied that Kara was ok, his attention swung back to the woman who even in spite of the god awful loss of his wife still occupied a place in his heart. The flashlight highlighted her heart shaped face, and the tawny eyes that could soften in tenderness or spit fire dependant on Rachel's mood. She looked tense and stressed, upset even, but given the events of the last few hours, was it any surprise Tom thought to himself. The strength of their connection startled him, and he could see the words she didn't, no couldn't say – words he too was unable to utter.
"Are you ok?" Tom asked her instead, when what he really wanted was to pull her close, and hold her, whisper in her ear "Thank god you're alright! I was terrified they'd hurt you".
"I'm fine" Rachel replied, knowing that deep inside all she wanted was to reach out and hold him, to say softly "Thank god you're alive! I was terrified you'd been hurt!".
For now though, the words would have to remain unspoken, verbally at least, they both knew that. Tom still needed to grieve for the loss of his beloved wife, his partner of nearly 20 years, and make a decision on what to do with his family. Rachel too needed time to grieve, for her friend and partner – she still couldn't believe Quincy was dead, after all they'd been through together. For now, their words would have to remain unspoken, uttered only through the uncanny bond they'd formed between them. Someday they'd have to address the unspoken attraction between them – it was like a ten tonne elephant always in the room with them. Both knew it was there, but whilst Darien had been alive, neither would ever address its presence, Tom because he loved his wife too much, Rachel because she never wanted to be the cause of breaking such a bond, they all deserved better. With Darien gone, and once Tom's grieving was done, when they'd both had time to process what had become of their world, they would address it – but not now. Tom asked Thorwald's men to see Rachel and Kara to safety, and he was relieved to see Rachel go quietly, needing to know she and Kara would be safe.
Hours later, Rachel sat in what was left of her lab aboard the Navy destroyer that had become her home, staring at the vials of the Primordial strain she'd placed back into the freezer, tears rolling down her face unchecked. These samples had cost Quincy his life, whilst their absence had nearly cost the lives of both Kara and her unborn child. Try as she might, Rachel couldn't get rid of those thoughts, hence the storm of tears currently wracking her petite frame. It was how Tom found her when he'd set out in search of her, at the insistence of his eldest child. Ashley was unable to rest, still worried over Sam's reaction to the cure, wanting a doctor to check out her brother and assure her he was ok. The sight of the normally strong doctor sobbing so uncontrollably and even worse alone, with no-one to comfort her caused Tom's heart to squeeze painfully. Without stopping to over think things, he strode into the lab and gathered Rachel gently into his arms, just as he had the night they'd discovered Rachel had found the cure. Stroking her back tenderly, just as he would one of the children, Tom waited for the storm of tears to abate and found himself weeping along with her, crying the tears for his beloved wife he'd been unable to shed in front of his father and the children.
Eventually, the tears abated and not a sound echoed through the lab save the hum of the freezer, along with the sound of their soft, hitched breathing. For a few moments more, they took comfort from the other's presence, savouring the strength each represented to the other.
"You okay now Rachel?" Tom asked her; once he was sure he could keep his voice steady. Rachel smiled shakily, how like him to think of others when his pain was as great as anyone else's, it was one of many things she loved about him.
"No, but I will be – honest" she replied, her heart still heavy over the loss of Quincy, the misery she'd seen on the streets of Baltimore, but she knew they'd both be ok. That as long as they had their friendship, they could weather any storm together.
"I'm sorry to ask, but Ashley, my daughter, is worried sick over Sammy" He told her "Seems he had a bad reaction to the cure, and she won't rest until a doctor checks him out, could you do the honours, please Rach?"
"Of course, Tom I'd be glad to help" Rachel smiled "It's not a problem, just let me grab some supplies from sickbay and I'll meet you at your quarters in say 20 minutes?"
"Thanks Rachel, I appreciate it, more than you know" Tom replied, squeezing her hand gently.
She nodded in reply and turned to leave her lab, glad to have a purpose once more. Tom watched her go, before returning to his quarters to let Ashley know he'd found a doctor to assuage her fears over her brother's health. True to her word, Rachel knocked on the Captain's cabin door 20 minutes later, medical bag in hand. Tom ushered her into the cabin, which seemed so full with 5 people now crammed into a space that normally only held one, possibly 2 people.
"Dad, kids, this is Dr Rachel Scott, she invented the cure that saved your lives" Tom told them "I asked her to stop by and give Sammy the once over, if that's okay?"
Ashley nodded happily, pleased her father had taken her worries seriously, and who better to minister to her beloved brother than the doctor who'd invented the cure? Rachel smiled at the serious young teen, her heart going out to her – she knew all too well how it felt to lose a mother.
"Hi Ashley, Sam – I'm Dr Rachel, can you tell me what happened when you were ill?" She asked gently, smiling reassuringly. She quietly examined the young boy, taking great care to explain to the two children what she was doing, including them in everything she did. Jed watched the kindly young woman treating his grandson, and watching Tom's reactions to her. Tom had talked at length about this Doctor Scott and her search for the cure, his tone full of admiration and warmth for the woman, more than he'd have expected for someone who was a colleague. Jed knew his son, the man didn't have a cheating bone in his body and to have cheated on his beloved Darien would've been unthinkable. Yet as he watched the softly spoken British Doctor speaking to Sam, her tone quiet and respectful, his gut told him the woman was as principled as his son – however beautiful she was, this Doctor Rachel Scott was as principled as Tom, she was no home wrecker.
"Well, you seem fine little man – the Paracetamol seems to have brought your temperature down, and the nausea is fading according to your sister here" Rachel said, squeezing the little boy's hand reassuringly "Tom, did Sam have a similar reaction after his childhood vaccinations do you know?"
Tom and Jed looked over at each other, and Rachel could almost see the light bulb's go on over their heads. They both dropped their heads, before looking up at one another smiling.
"He did, you're right" Jed replied, shaking his head ruefully "How could I forget? Darien was nearly beside herself with worry, Sam was premature you see Doc"
"I remember her telling me about it - fever, vomiting, just like today" Tom replied, ruffling Sam's hair, as the little boy smiled up at his father. Rachel watched the interchange between the Chandlers, glad that at least one family had survived the virus. As she stood to pack her things and leave the Chandlers to their privacy, a small hand reached to touch hers.
"Thank you Doctor Rachel, it was really nice of you to make sure my little brother's okay" Ashley said, smiling up at Rachel "Daddy, can Dr Rachel come with us to the galley for dinner please?"
"Sure sweet girl, that's a good idea – Rachel is that okay with you?" Tom smiled at them both, proud of his daughter for her good manners; it was something Darien had been insistent both children learned.
As they left to make the short trip to the galley, Tom couldn't help but think that despite the awful situation in Baltimore, not to mention the nagging uncertainty over his family's future, maybe things weren't so hopeless. His grief over Darien's loss still weighed heavily on his heart, and he knew it would be a while before it would no longer dominate his thoughts. Despite all that he had to be grateful for the lives of his father and children, not to mention friendship of the brilliant and beautiful doctor walking by his side, a friendship that was becoming increasingly important to him.
